When Parcs announced it was closing indefinitely, hearts around Melbourne broke. The sustainability-first wine bar and restaurant had long enthralled its loyal flock of fans with inventive culinary takes on up-cycling and fermentation, one of the first to do so boldly in Melbourne.
That’s why it’s music to our ears that, as of October 2023, this wintry period of closure is now over. Parcs is back! The key ethics remain, but there’s been a few important changes. Damien Neylon is now at the helm, diving deeper into innovative farming practices, organics and hyper seasonality. The renowned chef has been tending to a small organic veggie garden he hopes will eventually sustain the restaurant – similar to how restaurants like O.My, and the newly opened Julie, are operating.
‘Friends of Parcs’ is also a key initiative, drawing friends of Damien into the fold to contribute their diverse brands of panache on the pans. Since Damien also brings to the table strong fine dining pedigree (you’ll spot stints at Royal Mail and Brae on his resume), expect an elevated menu glow-up with a renewed focus on the relationship between food and land. The restaurant rotates four to five courses based on when each ingredient is in its prime, with 50-70% of the menu consisting of up-cycled produce.
But don’t worry about wading into too swanky – or wanky – of an experience. You can anticipate the same simplicity and sense of fun that Parcs has always mastered, with the focus less on fuss or formality, and more on thoughtfully prepared food to share and enjoy with friends. There are plenty of snacks for pairing if you want to just pop in for a vino or two before diving into a full set menu journey. From blitzed and braised to beautified and broiled, there’s no shortage of preparation techniques when it comes to Parcs’ creations, so whichever you decide – prepare your taste buds for an adventure.
The opening menu, ‘Late Spring’, features a broad bean, chrysanthemum curd and rooster broth in the style of a traditional ‘pu’er’ tea, served with a splash of house-made ‘shaoxing’ wine, a banana blossom, scallop and aloe vera snack. Other dishes include a bull kelp-cured tuna with mushroom and black garlic, and the first of the season's imperfect strawberries with an oat meringue and fresh sugarcane-cultured cream. Watch this space to find out what’ll be served on the ‘Early Summer’ menu coming soon.
If Parcs before was impressive, Parcs now is a red-hot (green-hot?) stunner. With a sophisticated menu structure and design, mindful talent at the wheel, and more collaboration than ever before, a thrilling next chapter waits for the team.
We’ll be there with our forks at the ready.
